1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for accepting or dispensing/returning bank notes.
2. Related Art
Apparatuses for accepting or dispensing/returning bank notes are known. Known apparatuses are based on the idea that a pocket that is employed for inputting bank notes to be accepted is also employed for returning bank notes that could not be accepted, e.g. because they could not be recognized or because disturbances occurred during processing. Furthermore, the pocket can be employed for dispensing bank notes.
From DE 102 03 176 B4 there is moreover known such an apparatus for accepting or dispensing/returning bank notes wherein a stack of loose bank notes is input into an opening of the apparatus or withdrawn from the opening. From or to this opening the entire stack of bank notes is transported for further processing or withdrawal of the bank notes. For this purpose there is provided a transport system with an upper and a lower portion between which the stack of bank notes is clamped for transport, for which purpose for example the upper portion of the transport system is moved toward the lower portion of the transport system on which the stack of bank notes rests. Upon the dispensing/return of bank notes it is provided here to transport the stack of bank notes so far that the stack of bank notes protrudes out of the opening in order that the bank notes can be grasped by an operator.
Because bank notes are to be prevented from falling out of the opening of the apparatus upon the dispensing/return of the bank notes, the bank notes are normally transported only so far that they protrude out of the opening by less than half of their dimension. Moreover, the bank notes can still be clamped by the transport system in order to reliably prevent their unintentionally falling out.
Through these measures for preventing the bank notes from falling out, it is more difficult for the operator to withdraw the bank notes from the apparatus when they protrude out of the opening. For the operator must pull the bank notes out of the apparatus over a considerable path against the clamping force of the transport system. If the clamping is done without, on the other hand, the bank notes can be withdrawn by the operator more easily, but there is a higher risk of the bank notes falling out unintentionally.
In addition, it is known from the application DE 10 2008 030 878.1 from the applicant that the bank notes to be dispensed/returned are transported out of the input and dispensing position by a specified length, whereupon the transport of the bank notes to be dispensed/returned is stopped and it is monitored whether the bank notes are being moved out of the apparatus by the operator, whereupon the bank notes are transported out of the apparatus again if the motion of the bank notes is detected upon monitoring.
The last-stated application already supports the operator considerably and takes account of the operator's behavior upon the withdrawal of bank notes to a certain extent, thereby making it possible to avoid the problem of bank notes accidentally falling out. However, there are not known from the prior art any apparatuses and methods for accepting or dispensing/returning bank notes that adapt to the individual habits of the operators upon the input or withdrawal of bank notes. This leads, on the one hand, to an uncomfortable situation for the operator upon operation. On the other hand, it has been found that precisely the lack of adaptation to individual operating habits results in operation errors. Such operation errors arise because the operators gain the impression at certain times that the input or withdrawal is not being continued automatically.